• Home
  • News
  • Coins2Day 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Time’s Person of the Year: Who will it be?

By
Patricia Sellers
Patricia Sellers
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Patricia Sellers
Patricia Sellers
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 13, 2009, 7:41 PM ET

Iranian voters

Uninsured Americans

Steve Jobs

Michelle Obama

Nancy Pelosi

Google

The Taliban

Warren Buffett

Last evening, I sat in the audience here at Manhattan’s Time & Life Building (where Coins2Day is based) and watched a bunch of brainy, well-connected people help Time Managing Editor Rick Stengel decide who should be Time‘s 2009 Person of the Year. The list above belongs to Barbara Walters, who came prepared and kicked off a lively discussion. At a dinner party earlier this week, Walters explained to last night’s audience of editors and advertisers, she went around the table and asked each guest, “Who do you think will be Time‘s Person of the Year?”

So it went last evening as Stengel asked his guests the same question. Rudy Giuliani–Time‘s Person of the Year in 2001–brought his own list too. On the former New York mayor’s menu of possibilities: General David Petraeus, Derek Jeter, Rush Limbaugh, Ben Bernanke, Sonia Sotomayor, Nancy Pelosi.

Gayle King and Dr. Mehmet Oz had another idea entirely–not a person but rather, a thing: Twitter. Said King: “Twitter feels very 2009 to me.”

Maybe. Time ‘s criteria for Person of the Year is whoever or whatever most affected the events of the year, for better or for worse. So, who (or what) is your No. 1 choice for Time‘s 2009 Person of the Year?

About the Author
By Patricia Sellers
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Coins2Day 500
  • Global 500
  • Coins2Day 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Coins2Day Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Coins2Day Brand Studio
  • Coins2Day Analytics
  • Coins2Day Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Coins2Day
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Coins2Day Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Coins2Day Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.